In a post-pandemic world, working remotely is becoming the new norm. Wherever you are working from, IT and Data Privacy policies still apply to ensure you are aware of additional data risks that may arise.
Our survey indicated that 82% of IT heads are concerned about the increased risk of data breaches as a direct result of working from home and how to ensure protection steps are implemented.
Below are quick tips that most are aware of, that are easy to implement:
Only access cloud resources on dedicated work devices.
Most interactions with other work resources have a lower risk of web impersonation and malicious loading of software. All business resources and tools are recommended to be kept entirely for business purposes and not mixed for personal purposes.
Auto Locking of Devices to safeguard Data
Ensure that your work devices can automatically lock when inactive. Also always ensure you lock your devices when unattended.
Avoid USB Connections
There is a significant amount of data breach resulting from USB devices that have silently loaded malware. USB connections are not secure and should be kept to a minimum. Additionally, USB devices can be lost and important information may be accessed by unauthorised parties eve if the USB device is encrypted. Therefore it is recommended to use reputed cloud storage to backup any business-related information using the highest encryption protocols, passwords and two-factor authentications.
Travelling with Devices
Ensure that your work-related devices and necessary papers are kept secure with you at all times, being mindful of your environment and potential risks. Be aware of your workspace, who can see your screen, your papers, who can hear your calls. You are responsible for keeping data secure and private even from family and friends. Plan ahead of time:
where will you work
where do you plan to securely store devices and papers in transit and at the remote workspace
do you know what to do if your device is stolen or data compromised
do you really need to make paper copies of anything or can you communicate, review and sign documents electronically in a secure encrypted way.
